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Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has announced a new Rs 99 pre-paid tariff plan for JioPhone users. The Rs 99 pre-paid tariff plan, that will exist alongside the existing Rs 49 and Rs 153 plans, will offer JioPhone users unlimited free voice calling, 0.5GB data per day and 300 SMS for 28 days. The plan is exclusive to JioPhone users and will apparently "reduce the monthly spends straight away by nearly 50 per cent," according to the company.

"There are currently 2 JioPhone plans available: Rs 49 and Rs 153. The Rs 49 plan is a kind of trial plan with 1GB monthly data, whereas our highest selling plan Rs 153 provides 1.5GB data/day. We realised that there are some users who may want lesser data and therefore must get the plan at a lower price. Hence we are introducing Rs 99 with unlimited free voice, 0.5GB data/day and 300 SMS for 28 days. This will reduce the monthly spends straight away by nearly 50 per cent," a Jio spokesperson said in a statement.

The new tariff plan for JioPhone users has been announced alongside the company's new JioPhone Monsoon Hungama offer that will allow potential buyers to get a JioPhone in exchange for their existing feature phone, for 501. The company has, in addition, also announced a special JioPhone recharge plan under the Monsoon Hungama offer where in users can also avail unlimited voice and data benefits for six months on paying Rs 594 at the time of activation. JioPhone users who avail the offer will be eligible for 90GB data for six months, according to the company.

In other news, the JioPhone will receive a FOTA August 15 onwards, that will enable the smart feature phone to support popular applications like YouTube, WhatsApp and Facebook. The same day that the company will also start selling its newly launched JioPhone 2. The JioPhone 2 will be available for buying in India from August 15 for Rs 2,999. RIL says that the need for a second-generation JioPhone stemmed from customer feedback. Customers have been asking for a JioPhone with a horizontal viewing display and a QWERTY keyboard, it said. The JioPhone 2 serves both the purposes. At the same time, it brings in added features like dual-SIM support that's missing on the original JioPhone.